Kodak Offloads Camera Manufacturing, Distribution

Eastman Kodak Company announced that it has forged an agreement with Flextronics International Ltd., in which Flextronics will take over the manufacturing and distribution of Kodak's consumer digital cameras.

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Eastman Kodak Company announced last week that it has forged an agreement with Flextronics International Ltd., in which the Singapore-based company will take over the manufacturing and distribution of Kodak's consumer digital cameras. Kodak says the partnership is an effort to bring products to market faster.

Under the agreement, Kodak will continue to design digital still cameras and will retain intellectual property, but Flextronics will completely oversee assembly, production, and testing.

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"This is another move in Kodak's overall strategy to further drive improvements for profitability and efficiency in the operating model of our consumer digital business," said John Blake, Jr., a Kodak general manager and vice president. "By partnering with Flextronics, Kodak will streamline our digital camera operations."

About 550 Kodak employees now based in China and Japan are expected to transfer to Flextronics facilities as a result of the new partnership.

Because of its late adoption of digital technologies, Kodak has been struggling with stiff competition from other digital camera manufacturers, including Canon, Sony, and Hewlett-Packard. Although film-based camera sales have faltered as a result of the digital camera explosion, Kodak is still the leading manufacturer of consumer and professional film, according to Erin Foster, a director of public relations for Kodak. She also said the company has no plans to go fully digital.

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